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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spring — a coil
  4. season — of the year
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. spring — the season
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. season — in sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. snap — to click
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — of water
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com